D&D 5E Question about Attacks of Opportunity

[Ganymede81]

Still mulling this over.....

Here is the exact working from the 5eSRD:



The broadest possible interpretation is that you can make an OA every time an opponent leaves a square within your reach. That's devastating for creatures with extended reach. Also, if the

If a creature has ten foot reach, then you get OA against opponents when they approach and when they retreat. Unless they use disengage, or some other way to evade.

I suspect your interpretation is colored by the rules for OAs in previous editions.

 

[basilforth]

I suspect your interpretation is colored by the rules for OAs in previous editions.

'Tis possible, though the previous version I played was called "AD&D".

How do you handle Ganymede81?

 

[Ganymede81]

You provoke an OOA when you move out of someone's reach, and the PHB defines your reach as the zone around your character in which you can make melee attacks.

If you circle around someone, you are not moving out of their reach as you are not moving outside of the zone around them in which they can make melee attacks.


Regarding more exotic creatures with multiple reaches, I ask myself the question "can this creature still reach the retreating player after it moves?" If the answer is yes, then I do not allow an AOO. That is a more ambiguous area of the rules, and there might be some guidance in a FAQ or a Sage Advice column.

 

[Jediking]

So if within 5' and you move to 10' away, it can claw at you. If you move to 15' away it can either bite or claw you. If you move to 20' away it can choose to bite, claw, or tail-strike you.

I'd rule that it could only use the attack that is provoked. So if you move from 5' to 10' and it doesn't use it's reaction to claw you, if you move 10' to 15' it can only bite at you. If you move 15' to 20', then it can tail-strike but not the others, as you are out of those attack ranges.


But situational stuff comes up. It's important to keep in mind the location. I like the idea of a few heroes using the Giant's size against it and being able to dance around it (like the Oliphant scenes in Return of the King). But it's whatever feel or tactics you want to allow.

And if there is some tiny trio of Mousketeers, they could use the same idea against the players.

 

[basilforth]

Here is a response from the Sage Advice Compendium, pages 4 and 5:

How does a reach weapon work with opportunity attacks?

An opportunity attack is normally triggered when a creature you can see moves beyond your reach (PH, 195). If you want to make an opportunity attack with a reach weapon, such as a glaive or a halberd, you can do so when a creature leaves the reach you have with that weapon. For example, if you’re wielding a halberd, a creature that is right next to you could move 5 feet away without triggering an opportunity attack. If that creature tries to move an additional 5 feet—beyond your 10-foot reach—the creature then triggers an opportunity attack.

This is helpful regarding reach weapons. I assume the reasoning applies to large creatures who have arms, teeth and tails that have extended reach?

 

[basilforth]

Ganymede and Jediking - thank you, those are helpful replies!!

 

[Plaguescarred]

Opportunity Attacks are provoked when leaving any of your reach.

 

[The Grassy Gnoll]

I'd rule that it could only use the attack that is provoked. So if you move from 5' to 10' and it doesn't use it's reaction to claw you, if you move 10' to 15' it can only bite at you. If you move 15' to 20', then it can tail-strike but not the others, as you are out of those attack ranges

ignore me I misread

 

[Jediking]

I assume the reasoning applies to large creatures who have arms, teeth and tails that have extended reach?

Yes, the same reasoning. Think of the creature having (natural) reach weapons. A Pc with a whip (10' reach) and a creature with a Tentacle attack (10' reach) would use the same mechanic.

 

[Plaguescarred]

What if the enemy has multiple different reach attacks?

Jeremy Crawford answered it provoke when it leaves any of them.


@Eightspancrow If a monster has 2 different reaches, when does it get opportunity attacks? Like the roc's talons at 5 feet and beak at 10.
@JeremyECrawford If you have more than one reach, a foe provokes an opportunity attack when it leaves any of them.